Cement activating machines



June 14, 1966 J. A. CARD CEMENT ACTIVA'IING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 21, 1963 Inventor Jack A. Card By has Attorney June 14, 1966 J. A. CARD 3,256,421

CEMENT ACTIVATING MACHINES Filed Nov. 21. 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 14, 1966 J. A. CARD CEMENT ACTIVA'I'ING wmcnmns Sheets-Sheet 3 l Filed Nov. 21, 1963 Sm Nwx June 14, 1966 J. A. CARD CEMENT ACTIVA'I'ING MACHINES Filed NOV. 21, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

IIII M IAI II l l I h H l l l l United States Patent 3,256,421 CEMENT ACTIVATHNG MACHINES Jack A. Card, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Boston, Mass., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 325,263 11 Claims. (Cl. 219-215) The present invention relates to a novel apparatus for heating shoe parts and, more specifically, to a machine for heating an outsole and a shoe bottom prior to the attachment of the outsole to the bottom and for activating, by the application of heat, adhesive which has been applied to the outsole thereby to prepare the shoe bottom and outsole for adhesive joinder.

One commercial process employed in the manufacture of shoes for attaching an outsole and a shoe bottom comprises forming a substantially solvent free ribbon of thermoplastic synthetic polymer resin adhesive by depositing the adhesive in molten condition upon marginal surface portions of the outsole and cooling the ribbon to render it self-supporting, subsequently heating the ribbon and the portions of the outsole underlying it to restore the adhesive to molten conditionand to prepare the underlying sole area for permanent adhesive attachmentand concurrently heating the bottom portion of the shoe to which the outsole is to be attached. The shoe bottom and outsole are then brought together with the ribbon of molten adhesive between them and pressure applied to force the adhesive into permanent attaching relationship with the heated surfaces of both the outsole and shoe bottom, the adhesive thereafter being solidified by cooling. A more detailed analysis ofthe above process is delineated in application for United States Letters Patent, Serial No.

121,118, filed June 30, 1961, in the name of Conrad Rossitto, now Patent No. 3,168,754. The present invention is concerned with apparatus for activating or heating the adhesive ribbon to restore it to molten condition and heating the outsole and shoe bottom.

Heretofore, in machines utilized'for this purpose an operator was required to introduce both the outsole and the shoe bottom manually to the heating elements of the machine. This was normally accomplished by placing an outsole in a receptacle and physically moving the receptacle into a position where the outsole was exposed to the heating elements. This was not only physically taxing on the operator but also time consuming. The operator was additionally required to position the shoe upper in location on themachine whereby its bottom was subject to the heating means. The result of requiring an operator to perform the plurality of tasks stated above was an inability consistently to attain continuity in the amount of heat transferred to the two members and, therefore, the cement. The consequence of such lack of continuity was an inconsistency in the quality of adhesive bonds produced. Frequently, the operator was also concurrently required physically to press the shoe bottom and upper into adhesive contact, thus, further reducing his effectiveness and efficiency.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cement activating apparatus having means for automatically introducing a shoe outsole to a heating element in the apparatus and means for automatically extracting the outsole therefrom.

A- further object of 'this invention is to control and correlate the shoe upper and outsole exposure time. The end to be attained is the regulation of the interim of exposure of the outsole in accordance with the period of exposure of the shoe bottom so that each of the members 'has the proper amount of heat transferred thereto and so that heating of the two members is completed simultaneously.

Patented June 14, 1966 To 'this end and in accordance with a feature of the present invention, there is provided a heating apparatus for heating a shoe bottom and an outsole and for activating adhesive on said outsole comprising heating means, means for mounting a lasted shoe with its bottom in position to be heated and conveying means for introducing outsoles to and extracting them from exposure to said heating means comprising a plurality of movable trays, feed means facilitating selective movement to said trays, anddrive means cooperative with said feed means selectively to convey one or more of said trays.

The above and other features of the invention including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular machine embodying the invention is shown by Way of illustration only and not as a limitation of the invention.

The principles and features of this invention may be employed in varied and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial perspective view of a machine embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the conveyor means of the machine;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of the conveyor means taken along line IIIIII of FIG. 2, the feed means being located in the outer, inoperative position; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a portion of the conveyor means taken along line IIIIII of FIG. 2, the feed means being located in the inner, operative position.

The machine, as generallyillustrated in FIG. 1, comprises discrete heating elements 10 and 12 for heating the bottom surface of a lasted shoe upper 14 and an outsole 16, respectively. A lasted shoe upper is received in support means 18 located in the. upper portion of the machine whereby the bottom surface thereof is exposed to the heating elements 10. As hereinafter described, outsoles are introduced to and extracted from exposure to the heating elements 12 of the machine by conveyor means, generally indicated in FIG. 1 by the reference character 20. The novelty of the subject disclosure resides in the conveyor means 20, the apparatus appurtenant thereto, and the interrelation thereof with the heating means 10 and 12.

The conveyor means 20, best seen in FIG. 2, comprises drive means 22, a generally inverted, U-shaped pawl carrier 24, sole conveying trays 26, 26, sole tray feed means 28, 28, and sole tray locking means 30, the above reference characters being generally indicative of the respective means. As hereinafter delineated, the sole trays 26, 26 are individually operated by the feed means 28, 28, respectively, and may be sequentially employed to feed one outsole at a time into exposed relation to the heating elements 12 or simultaneously employed to introduce a plurality of outsoles concurrently. The feed means 28, 28 are selectively cooperative with means mounted on the pawl carrier 24 (to be hereinafter described) to convey the trays 26, 26, the pawl carrier 24 being driven by the drive means 22.

The drive means 22 is-employed to move the pawl carrier 24 and, consequently, the trays 26 and comprises a drive cylinder 32 and a piston 34 slidable therein having a drive rod 36 attached thereto and extending outwardly from the rearward end of the cylinder 32, as best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The end of the drive rod 36 remote from the piston 34 is received in a rotative mount 38 to ensure axial alignment within the cylinder 32. The mount 38 is rotatively mounted between brackets 40, 40 secured to the rearward end of the pawl carrier 24 by fulcrum members 42, 42 aliixed to the lower portion of the brackets 40, and extending outwardly therefrom into apertures located in opposite sides of the mount 38. The forward end (right hand as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4) of the drive cylinder 32 is pivotally mounted on the frame 44 of the conveyor means by brackets 46, 46, a stud 48 mounted between said brackets, and an extension member 50 pivotally mounted on the stud 48 and secured to the forward end of the drive cylinder 32. Pressure fluid is introduced to and vented from the drive cylinder 32 through the piping ports 52 and 54 located on opposite ends thereof.

As discussed above, the pawl carrier 24 cooperates with the feed means 28, 28 to selectively convey the trays 26, 26. Sliding movement is imparted to the pawl carrier 24 by the drive cylinder 32 through the'brackets 40, 40. The sliding movement of the pawl carrier 24 is selectively utilized to impart linear sliding translation to the feed means 28, 28 and, therefore, the sole trays 26, 26 by means of pivotal pawls 66, 66 and a return bar 68, as hereinafter described. The return bar 68 is secured to the upper surface of the pawl carrier 24 and comprises legs 70, 70 spaced from the legs of the pawl carrier 24- and extending generally parallel thereto.

The pawls 66, 66 are aflixed to opposite ends of a shaft 72 rotatively mounted on the pawl carrier 24, the pawls being positioned to contact drive pins (hereinafter to be described in more detail), associated with the feed means 28, 28 thereby to impart translation thereto. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pawls 66, 66 are normally biased upwardly by leaf springs 74, 74 positioned on the shaft 72 and extending under pins 76, 76 mounted on the pawls 66, 66 thereby to urge the pawls into an upper position. The pins 76, 76 extend outwardly from the pawls 66, 66 and are received in holes 78, 7 8 in the pawl carrier 24. The pivotal movement of the pawls 66, 66 is thus limited by contact of the pins 76, 76with the circumference of the holes 78, 78.

The pawl carrier 24 is mounted for sliding movement between an inner and an outer position, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively, by a plurality of rolls 60 mounted on the lower portion of the legs thereof. The rolls 60 are rotatively supported in guideways 62, 62 disposed on opposite sides of the drive cylinder 32 and secured to the frame 44 of the conveyor means by an elongated bracket 64, as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

The sole conveying trays 26, 26 are mounted for sliding movement in the upper portion of the subject apparatus by rolls 80 mounted on the lower surfaces of the trays by brackets 82, a plurality of said rolls being mounted along each side of the trays 26, 26. The rolls 80 are ro tatively suported on guideways 84 positioned along the sides of the apparatus and in the upper central portion thereof. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the guideways 84 located along the sides of the apparatus are mounted on the frame 44 and the centrally located guideways 84 are mounted on a bracket 86 affixed to a raised inverted U-shaped extension of the bracket 64 located in the rear of the machine. An outer loading position for the trays 26, 26 is determined by contact thereof with stops 90, 90 located on the front of the frame 44. As stated above and hereinafter delineated, the sole trays are selectively conveyed between an outer, loading position and an inner, heating position by the cooperative action of the pawl carrier 24 and the sole tray feed means 28, 28.

The sole tray feed means 28, 28 comprise substantially U-shaped mounting brackets 92, 92 having rearwardly displaced, integral mounting ears 94, 94 secured to the lower surface of the sole trays 26, 26, lever brackets 96, 96 of generally inverted U configuration, latches 98, 98, levers 100, 100, and driving pins 102, 102 The lever brackets 96, 9 6, latches 98, 98 and brackets 92, 92 cooperate selectively to locate and maintain the driving pins 102, 102 in an operative position or an inoperative position. The levers 100, 100 are employed in cooperation with brackets 4- 92, 92 and brackets 96, 96 to urge the driving pins 102, 102 into operative position.

The driving pins 102, 102 are loosely received in slots 104, 104 located in each leg of the mounting brackets 92, 92 and extend outwardly from the brackets 92, 92 toward the center of the apparatus in proximity to the pawls 66, 66 and the legs 70, 70 of the return bar 68. The size of the slots 104, 104 permits heightwise movement of the pins 102, 102 between an upper, inoperative position and a lower, operative position. That is, when the pins 102, 102 are in the lower, operative position adjacent the lower surface of the slots 104, 104, the ends of the pins 102, 102 extending from the brackets 92, 92 are in a lower position wherein they are engageable with the pawls 66, 66 during the ingress of the pawl carrier 24. Conversely, when the pins 102, 102 are in the upper, inoperative position adjacent the upper surface of the slots 104, 104, the ends of the pins extending from the brackets 92, 92 are in an upper position wherein they are displaced from the path of travel of the pawls 66, 66. Thus, by the selective positioning of the pins 102, 102 (by means hereafter to be described) the sliding movement of the pawl carrier 24 into an inner, operative location may be selectively imparted to either or both of the sole trays 26, 26 through the pawls 66, 66, the pins 102, 102 and the mounting brackets 92, 92.

The sole conveying trays 26, 26 are removed from the inner heating position by the legs 70, 70 of the return bar 68 which contact the pins 102, 102 and translate the egress movement of the pawl carrier 24 thereto. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the return bar 68 is positioned on the pawl carrier 24 so that the legs 70, 70 thereof are located rearwardly of the pins 102, 102 whereby the legs 70, 70 will always contact the pin 102 associated with a sole tray 26 which is in an inner position during the retraction of the pawl carrier 24.

The selective positioning'of the pins 102, 102 is facilitated by the cooperative action of the levers 100, 100 the lever brackets 96, 96 and the latches 98, 98 as hereinafter described. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the lever brackets 96, 96 are pivotally mounted between the legs of the brackets 92, 92 on mounting studs 108, 108 secured to the brackets 92, 92. The studs 108, 108 extend through legs 110, 110 of the lever brackets 96, 96 and have sleeves 111, 111 rotatively mounted thereon to which the legs 110, 110 are secured whereby a pivotal axis for the brackets 96, 96 is established. The lever brackets 96, 96 have diagonal slots 112, 112 in the lower portion of each leg 110, 110 thereof to receive the pins 102, 102. The slots 112, 112 and the slots 104, 104 located in the legs of the mounting brackets 92, 92 cooperate to guide and control the heightwise movement of the pins 102, 102.

The levers 100, 100 are affixed to the upper portion of the lever brackets 96, 96 and each has a handle extending above the upper plane of the conveying apparatus. As best seen in FIG. 3, depression of each of the handles 120, 120 causes counterclockwise pivotal movement of its associated bracket 96 whereby the associated pin 102 is urged downwardly in the slot 104 as a result of lengthwise movement of the pin 102 relative .to the slot 112. That is, when one of the brackets 96 is pivoted counterclockwise, the associated slot 112 is similarly pivoted and, thus, urges the pin 102 along the path defined by the slots 104. Selective positioning of either or both of the pins 102 is thus effected.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the latches 98, 98 are pivotally mounted intermediate the legs of the brackets 92, 92 rearwardly of the lever brackets 96, 96 on mounting members 122, 122 (the members 122, 122 being located behind the studs 108, 108 in FIG. 2) opposite ends of which are secured to said legs. The latches 98, 98 have annular hubs 126, 126 integral therewith extending outward from a face thereof which are rotatively received on the mounting members 122, 122. As shown 4 in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lever brackets 96, 96 extend rearwardly over the mounting members 122, 122, the pivotal movement of the lever brackets 96, 96 being permitted and limited by slots 128 therein through which the mounting members 122, 122 pass. The legs 110, of the brackets 96, 96 are located on opposite sides of the driving pin latches 98, 98 in abutting relation with the ends of the hubs 126, 126 and raised terminal portions 129 of spacers 130 mounted on the members 122, 122 respectively.

The latches 98, 98 and lever brackets 96, 96 are normally biased into contact with the pins 102, 102 by springs 134, 134 opposite ends of which are secured to the latches 98, 98 and lever brackets 96, 96, as best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. When either or both of the handles 120, 120 are depressed to lower their associated pins 102, 102,

abutment shoulders 136, 136 in the lower portion of the latches 98, 98 are urged into contact with the pins 102, 102 by the spring 134 whereby the pins are retained in the lower position, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The pins are thus retained in operative position relative to the pawls 66, 66. When the pins 102, 102 are in the upper, inoperative position, surfaces 138 on the latches 98, 98 contact the pins 102, 102, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

In the operation of the conveyor means 20, an outsole to be heated is placed on one of the trays 26 and the appropriate handle 120 depressed thereby lowering the associated pin 102 into operative position relative to the pawl 66 appurtenant thereto. A timer 140' is employed to control the introduction of fluid pressure to the cylinder 32 to drive the pawl carrier 24 into the inner heating position. When the operator has located an outsole in position on one of the trays 26, depression of a foot treadle 142 activates the timer 140 which has been previously set at a predetermined time interval selected by the operator. Upon .theelapse of the selected time interval, pressure fluid is introduced to the cylinder 32 through the piping port 54 thereby causing the ingress of the pawl carrier 24 and, consequently, the tray 26 associated with the depressed pin 102, the pin 102 being retained in the lower position during the ingress movement by the abutment shoulder 136 on the latch 98.

When the pawl carrier 24 is in the inner, heating position, cam members 146 (FIGS. 3 and 4) mounted on the rear of the bracket 64 contact cam rolls 148 mounted on the latches 98, 98 and pivot the latches 98, 98 clockwise whereby the abutment shoulder 136 is removed from contact with the pins 102, 102; Either or both of the pins 102, 102 (whichever is depressed at the time) are thus released and are urged upwardly in the slot 104 by the lever brackets 96, 96 under the action of the spring 134.

A timer 150 is employed to regulate the duration of exposure of an outsole to the heating elements 12. Upon the expiration of a selected time interval previously set on the timer 150 by the operator, pressure fluid is introduced to the cylinder 32 through the piping port 52 to return the pawl carrier 24 to the outer, inoperative posi- As discussed above, the sole trays 26, 26 and feed means 28, 28 are returned to the outer, inoperative position by the returnbar 68 which contacts the raised pins 102, 102. The pivotal mounting of the pawls 66, 66 per mits the pawls 66, 66 to pass under the pin 102 associated with a sole tray located in the outer, inoperative position (FIG. 3) during the egress of the pawl carrier24 thereby to locate the pawls 66, 66 forward of the pins 102, 102 in operative relation thereto.

The normal operative cycle of the machine comprises locating a shoe bottom on the support means 18, setting the timers, placing an outsole on one of the trays 26, depressing the appropriate handle 120, pressing the foot treadle 142, removing the previously heated shoe and outsole and joining the same, placing another shoe on the support member 18 and another outsole on the other tray 26, depressing the other handle 120 and pressing the foot treadle 142, and repeating the above when the first outsole is extracted. As stated above, the trays 26, 26 can be used simultaneously; however, the above delineated cycle is more eflicientand less taxing on the operator.

In the preferred embodiment of the subject invention, the sole tray locking means 30, 30 are employed to retain the feed means 28, 28 and the sole trays 26, 26 associated therewith positively locked in the inner position during the heating portion of the cycle of the machine and, correlatively, to prevent kick back of. said means and trays during the terminal stage of the ingress thereof after the pins 102, 102 have been raised. The locking means 30, 30 comprises mounting members 160, affixed to the legs 70, '70 of the return bar 68 and extending outwardly therefrom, brackets 162 162 rotatively mounted on the members 160, 160, and contact members 164, 164 engageable with the brackets 92, 92. The brackets 162, 162 have been provided with oppositely extending leaf arms 166, 166 to accomplish interchangeability, only one of said leaf arms being functional in a given location. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the contact members 164, 164 are normally urged into a lower, inoperative position by leaf springs 168, 168 mounted on the members 160, 160 and extending under leaf arms 166, 166 directed toward the legs 70, 70.

In the operation of the machine, the locking means 30, 30 are conveyed by the pawl carrier 24 in fixed location relative to the brackets 92, 92. During the ingress of the pawl carrier 24, the locking means 30, 30 are pivoted into an upper, operative position abutting the brackets 92, 92 by cam rolls 170, 170 which engage the contact members 164, 164. The cam rolls 170, 170 are mounted on the frame of the machine by mounting members 172, 172.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for heating an outsole and for activating adhesive on said outsole comprising heating means, conveying means for introducing outsoles to and extracting them from exposure to said heating means comprising a plurality of movable trays, feed means'associated with said trays facilitating the selective translation of said trays, and drive means cooperative with said feed means selectively to convey at least one of said trays.

2. Apparatus for heating a shoe part and activating adhesive thereon comprising heating means and conveying means for moving the shoe part relative to the heating means, said conveying means comprising a plurality of discrete, movable trays, feed means associated with said trays for facilitating the selective translation of said trays, carrier means cooperative with said feed means selectively to translate at least one of said trays into exposed relation to said heating means and to remove trays therefrom, and drive means for imparting movement to said carrier means.

3. Apparatus for heating a shoe part and for activating adhesive thereon comprising heating means and conveying means for moving the shoe part relative to the heating means, said conveying means comprising a plurality of discrete, movable trays, feed means facilitating the selective translation of said trays, said feed means comprising driving members movable between an operative position and an inoperative position and means for locating the driving members selectively in either of said positions, and drive means including means cooperative with those of said driving members in operative position to convey at least one selected tray into exposed relation to said heating means and to remove said trays therefrom.

4. Apparatus for heating a shoe part and for activating adhesive thereon comprising heating means and conveying means for moving the shoe parts relative to the heating means, said conveying means comprising a plurality of discrete, movable trays, feed means associated with said trays facilitating the selective translation of said trays, said feed means comprising mounting members secured to said trays, driving members mounted on said mounting members for movement between an operative position and an inoperative position, and means for selectively locating the driving members in either of said positions, carrier means including means cooperative with at least one of said driving members located in said operative position to convey the trays associated therewith into exposed relation to said heating means and to remove said trays therefrom, and drive means for imparting movement to said carrier means.

5. Apparatus for heating a shoe part and for activating adhesive thereon comprising heating means and conveying means for moving the shoe parts relative to the heating means, said conveying means comprising a plurality of discrete, movable trays, feed means associated with said trays facilitating the selective translation of said trays, said feed means comprising mounting members secured to said trays, driving members mounted on said mounting members for movement between an operative position and an inoperative position, means selectively locating the driving members in either of said positions, and means for retaining said driving members in said operative position, carrier means having means cooperative with at least one of said driving members located in'said operative position to convey the trays associated therewith into exposed relation to said heating means and means cooperative with said driving members to remove trays therefrom, drive means for imparting movement'to said carrier means, and means cooperative with said retaining means to release said retaining means after the ingress of said trays.

6. Apparatus for heating a shoe part and for activating adhesive thereon comprising heating means and conveying means for moving the shoe parts relative to the heating means, said conveying means comprising a plurality of discrete, movable trays, feed means associated with said trays facilitating the selective translation of said trays, said feed means comprising mounting members secured to said trays, driving members mounted on said mounting members for movement between an operative position and an inoperative position, lever means pivotally mounted on said mounting members and cooperative therewith to facilitate the location of the driving members in either of said positions, and latch means cooperative with said lever means to selectively retain said driving members in either of said positions, carrier means including means cooperative with the driving members when the driving members are located in the operative position to convey the trays associated therewith into exposed relation to said heating means and to remove said trays therefrom, and means cooperative with said latch means to release said latch means whereby said lever means cooperates therewith to remove said driving members from, the operative position.

7. Apparatus for heating a shoe part and for activating adhesive thereon comprising heating means and conveying means for translating the shOe parts relative to the heating means, said conveying means comprising a plurality of discrete, movable trays, feed means associated with said trays facilitating the selective translations of said trays, said feed means comprising slotted mounting members secured to said trays, driving members received in said slotted mounting members for movement between an operative position and an inoperative position, lever means pivotally mounted on said mounting members and cooperative therewith to facilitate the location of the driving members in either of said positions, latch means cooperative with said lever means to selectively retain said driving members in either of said positions, and spring means cooperatively linking said lever means and said latch means, carrier means having means cooperative with at least one of said driving members located in said operative position to convey the trays associated therewith into exposed relation to said heating means and said trays therefrom, drive means for imparting movement to said carrier means, and means cooperative with said latch means to release said latch me'answhereby said lever means cooperates therewith to remove said driving members from the operative position under the action of the spring means after the ingress of said trays.

8. Apparatus for heating an outsole and for activating adhesive on said outsole comprising heating means, conveying means for introducing outsoles to and extracting them from exposure to said heating means comprising a plurality of movable trays, feed means facilitating the selective translation of said trays, and drive means cooperative with said feed means selectively to convey at least of said trays, means for controlling the operation of said drive means, means for locking said trays in exposed relation to said heating means, means for controlling the period of exposure to said heating means, and means for mounting a lasted shoe with its bottom in exposed relaion to said heating means.

9. Apparatus for heating a shoe part and for activating adhesive thereon comprising heating means and conveying means for moving the shoe parts relative to the heating means, said conveying means comprising a plurality of discrete, movable trays, feed means associated with said trays facilitating the selective translation of said trays, said feed means comprising mounting members secured to said trays, driving members mounted on said mounting members for movement between an operative position and an inoperative position, and means for selectively locating the driving members in either of said positions, carrier means cooperative with at least one of said driving members located in said operative position to convey the trays associated therewith into exposed relation to said heating means and to remove said trays therefrom, drive means for imparting movement to said carrier means, means for controlling the operation of said drive means, means for locking said trays in exposed relation to said heating means comprising a pivotal contact member, means normally locating said contact member in an inoperative position, and means for urging sa1d contact member into locking, operative position when the tray associated therewith is located in exposed relation to said heating means, and means for controlling the period of exposure to said heating means.

10. Apparatus for heating an outsole and for activating adhesive on said outsole comprising heating means, conveying means for moving the shoe parts relative to the heating means, said conveying means comprising a plurality of discrete, movable trays, feed means associated with said tr-ays facilitating the selective translating of said trays, said feed means comprising mounting members secured to said trays, driving members mounted on said mounting members for movement between an operative position and an inoperative position, lever means pivotally mounted on said mounting members and cooperative therewith to facilitate the location of the driving members in either of said positions, and latch means cooperat ve with said lever means to selectively retain said driving members in either of said positions, carrier means cooperative with the driving members when the driving members are located in the operative position to convey the trays associated therewith into exposed relation to said heating means and to remove said trays therefrom,

and means cooperative with said latch means to release said latch means whereby said lever means cooperates therewith to remove said driving members from the operative position, means for controlling the operation of said drive means, means for locking said trays in exposed relation to said heating means, means for controlling the period of exposure to said heating means, and means for mounting a lasted shoe with its bottom in exposed rela tions to said heating means.

ll. Apparatus for heating a shoe part and for activating adhesive thereon comprising heating means and conveying means for translating the shoe parts relative to the heating means, said conveying means comprising a plurality of discrete, movable trays, feed means associated with said trays facilitating the selective translating of said trays, said feed means comprising slotted mounting members secured to said trays, driving members received in said slotted mounting members formovement between an operative position and an inoperative position, lever means pivotally mounted on said mounting members and cooperative therewith to facilitate the location of the driving members in either of said positions, latch means cooperative with said lever means to selectively retain said driving members in either of said positions, and spring means cooperatively linking said lever means and said latch means, carrier means having means cooperative with at least one of said driving members located in said operative position to convey the trays associated therewith into exposed relation to said heating means and means cooperative with said driving members to remove said trays therefrom, drive means for imparting movement to said carrier means, means cooperative with said latch means to release said latch means whereby said lever means cooperates therewith to remove said driving members from the operative position under the action of the spring means, means for controlling the operation of said drive means, means for locking said trays in exposed relation to said heating means comprising a pivotal contact member, means normally locating said contact memher in an inoperative position, and means for urging said contact member into locking, operative position when the tray associated therewith is located in exposed relation to said heating means, and means for controlling the period of exposure to said heating means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,813,502 11/1957 Drom 219-85 2,946,637 7/1960 Becker 312-223 FOREIGN PATENTS 842,170 6/ 1952 Germany.

20 ANTHONY BARTIS, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD M. WOOD, Examiner.

C. L. ALBRITTON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR HEATING AN OUTSOLE AND FOR ACTIVATING ADHESIVE ON SAID OUTSOLE COMPRISING HEATING MEANS, CONVEYING MEANS FOR INTRODUCING OUTSOLE TO AND EXTRACTING THEM FROM EXPOSURE TO SAID HEATING MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF MOVABLE TRAYS, FEED MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID TRAYS FACILITATING THE SELECTIVE TRANSLATION OF SAID 